Whether I’m just starting a new coaching relationship with a client, or we’re engaged in one of our regular meetings, we often focus on an area where my client feels stuck, or wants to create change but can’t get going, or has lost momentum.

Having a coach is a sure way to stay focused not only on what needs to get done, but also stay aware of obstacles. We all have habitual patterns of dealing with life, but sometimes life can get too full, overwhelming or even scary when we are faced with change that takes us out of our comfort zones. Having a sense of awareness of what is weighing us down, causing us to drag our feet, or making a task feel scary or onerous is half the battle.

It happens to all of us. Sometimes we have the best intentions to create change (starting that morning meditation and exercise routine, scheduling regular planning time before the day starts, engaging your team in team building exercises, spending more one-on- one time with direct reports, having those difficult conversations, sticking to the strategic plan, etc.) but old habits and patterns, workloads and unforeseen distractions can get in the way.

Life can feel overwhelming at times, making us feel anxious and stressed, and we can lose sight of the things we know will help us be more successful, peaceful, effective, and fulfilled as we spend more time managing our stress than focusing on the things we want to bring into being.

Sometimes we’re afraid so deep down that we’re not even aware of those fears. Change is a constant in life, and we have to keep finding ways to adapt and remain agile and resilient. Then we have egos to manage, which come with their own sets of fears related to rejection, success, failure, helplessness, disapproval, loss of image…and the list goes on and on.

It’s helpful to sort through any thoughts that hold us back so we can switch to more positive beliefs that are aligned with our goals. Our fears, when unconscious, can paralyze us or hold us back.

Together in a coaching relationship we can uncover the things getting in your way by engaging in inquiry about any challenging feelings, beliefs, and attitudes. With renewed awareness of the busy chatter your mind has conjured up about a certain situation, we can then identify which thoughts are helpful, and which can be reframed to create a more powerful mindset. Once we work through the unconscious and limiting beliefs, a new, clearer path for action emerges.

Other times, we get stuck in problems that are relationship-based. We may find ourselves stuck in a role that has us focused on unproductive problem solving, where we stay in a reactive state and keep responding to someone in triggered ways based on our own anxiety. Again, through inquiry we can become aware of our frame of mind, emotions, beliefs and how we got there, and can then make the switch from what we don’t want to experience, to what we do want.

We are complex creatures with habitual and default drives that sometimes carry us through our harried and busy days, leaving us in unproductive mindsets, and drained of our power and ability to be present and productive with others. A quick session with your coach can be the game changer to get you back in action, empowered, fully energized, and aligned with your goals and inner power.